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(11) | EP 0 004 275 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Apparatus for remotely repairing tubes in a steam generator |
| (57) Apparatus for remotely repairing tubes in a steam generator which is assembled quickly
inside a portion of a channel head (1) of the steam generator (2) and is so mounted
that various repair and inspection operations can be performed on all of the tubes
(7) and the tubesheet (3) in that portion of the channel head (1). |
[0001] The present invention relates to nuclear steam generators and more particularly to apparatus for remotely repairing the tubes and tubesheet in a nuclear steam generator.
[0002] In pressurized water nuclear reactors primary fluid or coolant is pumped through a reactor and a steam generator, radioactive contaminants in the primary fluid are deposited on the tubes and in the channel head of the steam generator so that repair crews are subjected to significant radioactivity when working within the channel head. Therefore, in order to reduce the exposure of personnel to radiation, it is desirable to provide an apparatus which can be remotely operated and effectively inspect and repair the tubes and tubesheets within the steam generator. The apparatus, however, must be installed and it is necessary for the repair crews to reach into, and work in close proximity of, the radioactive channel head.
[0003] The principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for remotely repairing tubes in a steam generator with which the repair crew's exposure to radiation is reduced to a minimum.
[0004] With this object in view, the present invention resides in an apparatus for remotely repairing a tubesheet and tubes accessible from a head of a steam generator, which has a centrally disposed partition dividing the head into an inlet and an outlet portion and a manway disposed in each of said portions, said apparatus comprising a column rotatably disposed in a portion of said head generally perpendicular to said tubesheet, a boom pivotally mounted on said column, means for rotating said column and said boom therewith, means for locking said column and said boom in any rotated position, means for pivoting said boom from a position generally parallel to said tubesheet to a position generally aligned with said manway, a carriage disposed to ride lengthwise along said boom, means for moving said carriage lengthwise along said boom and for fixing the position of said carriage on said boom, and a tool holder mounted on said carriage, characterized in that said column is rotatably mounted on said partition at least near the upper end of the column and the top end of said column terminates a predetermined distance below said tubesheet, said beam extending over the top end of said column such that operations on one-half of the tubesheet and all of the tubes disposed in said half of the tubesheet can be performed by said apparatus.
[0005] Preferably, there are hydraulic cylinders for pivoting the boom from its operating position generally parallel to the tubesheet to a position generally aligned with the axis of a manway to facilitate mounting of tools on the beam.
[0006] With this arrangement, all the tubes and the whole tubesheet can be serviced as the support column is not connected to the tubesheet and the tool holder can move any place below the tubesheet.
[0007] The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof shown, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of a head of a steam generator with apparatus for remotely repairing the tubes and tubesheets made in accordance with this invention disposed therein;
Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of a head of a steam generator with the apparatus in a different position;
Figure 3 is a partial sectional view of a carriage and tool holder utilized in this invention;
Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of the carriage and tool holder;
Figure 5 is an exploded view partially in section showing the attachment of a boom to a column; and
Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Figure 1.
[0008] Figures 1 and 2 show a portion of a channel head 1 of a steam generator 2 having a tubesheet 3 with a plurality of holes 5 disposed therein. Tubes 7 are disposed in the holes 5 and extend upwardly from the tubesheet 3. The channel head 1 has generally hemispherical walls 9 and is divided into an inlet portion and an outlet portion (only one of which is shown in the drawings) by a dividing plate 11. Each portion has a manway 12 disposed in the wall 9.
[0009] Apparatus for remotely repairing and inspecting the tubes 7 and tubesheet 3 is disposed in one portion of the channel head 1 and comprises a vertically oriented column 13 which is pivotally connected to the wall 9 of the channel head 1 and extends generally upwardly therefrom. The column 13 is generally perpendicular to the tubesheet 3 and disposed adjacent the dividing plate 11. A spherical bearing block, which contains tapered roller bearing 15 is disposed at the foot of the column 13 in a spherical housing 17, which is fastened to the wall 9 by welding or other means and forms a first support means for the column 13. A second support means 18 is fastened to the dividing plate 11 by welding or other means and is disposed adjacent the intermediate portion of the column 13. The column 13 is rotatably disposed within the second support means 18 by an antifriction bearing such as ball or roller bearings (not shown). The second support means 18 also has a split collar 19 disposed thereon. The split collar 19 has a gap 20, which is closed by a hydraulic cylinder 21 to lock the column 13 in any of its rotated positions.
[0010] As shown in Figures 1 and 6 the second support 18 has X and Y adjustments in a plane generally parallel to the tubesheet for aligning the column generally perpendicular to the tubesheet 3. One degree of movement, X, is afforded by a dovetail 22 and adjusting screw 23. A set screw 24 locks the dovetail 22 in position when the column is plum in one direction. The other degree of movement, Y, is provided by jackscrews 25 and clevis mounted bolts 26, or other means, such as shims.
[0011] The terminal or upper end of the column 13 terminates a predetermined distance from the tubesheet 3.
[0012] A boom 27 is pivotally connected to the terminal or upper end of the column 13 by a suitable mounting bracket 28. The pivotal connection is such that the boom 27 rotates with the column 13 and can pivot from a position generally parallel to the tubesheet 3 to a position generally aligned with the manway 12. A pair of telescoping hydraulic cylinders 29 (only one is shown) are pivotally connected to the lower end of the column 13 by a suitable.bracket 30 and to the distal end of the boom 27 by another bracket 31 to provide means for pivoting the boom 27 from a positon generally parallel to the tubesheet 3 to a position generally aligned with the manway 12.
[0013] A hollow shaft DC motor 32 is disposed over the column 13 and is connected thereto. The motor 32 has a base 33 with adjustable feet 35, which engage the dividing plate 11 to provide means for rotating the column 13 and the boom 27 therewith. Disposed within the motor are rotary induction means for indicating the angular position of the hollow shaft and a tachometer for speed control. The motor 32 is reversible so that it can rotate the column 13 and boom 27 in either direction.
[0014] The boom 27 comprises a pair of generally parallel rails or channels 37 with ways 39 on the top and bottom portion of each channel 37. The ways 39 extend longitudinally along the boom and are parallel to each other. A carriage 41 is slidably disposed on the ways 39. The carriage 41 has four bearings 43, which slidably engage the ways 39 so that the carriage moves rectilinearly and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boom 27.
[0015] The carriage 41, as shown best in Figures 3 and 4, comprises a baseplate 45 and a platform 47 disposed generally parallel to each other and generally parallel to the tubesheet 3, when the longitudinal axis of the boom 27 is parallel thereto. The baseplate 45 is connected to the bearings 43 and the platform 47 is disposed above and parallel to the baseplate 45. An air motor 49 or other drive means is connected to the platform 47.
[0016] Means for guiding the platform 47 with respect to the baseplate 45 and for maintaining parallelism therebetween comprises four round bars 51, which are affixed adjacent the four corners of the platform 47, eight ball bushings 53 disposed in the baseplate 45 for slidably receiving the bars 51, and a pair of double acting hydraulic cylinders 55 connected to the baseplate 45 and the platform 47. Means for indicating the speed and position of the platform 47 with respect to the baseplate 45 is shown generally at 56.
[0017] A cantilevered tool holder 57 is fastened to the platform 47 and coupled to the drive motor 49. The cant-levered tool holder has a tool receptacle or chuck 59 on the distal end thereof for holding a tool and a train of gears other drive means 62 connects the drive motor.49 to the tool chuck 59 providing power to drive the tool 61.
[0018] Referring back to Figures 1 and 2, a ball screw 63, drive motor 65 and ball nut 67 are cooperatively associated with the boom 27 and carriage 41 to provide means for moving the carriage rectilinearly along the boom 27 and for holding the carriage 41 at any position along the boom 27. The ball screw 63 extends the length of the boom 27 and is disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. The ball nut 67 is affixed to the carriage 41 and engages the threads on the screw 63. Resolvers 68 are provided for indicating the position of the carriage along the boom.
[0019] Disposed on the boom 27 are a pair of hydraulic cylinders 69 which have piston rods 71 that can be extended outwardly to contact the wall 9 of the head 1 to steady the boom 27 when the tool 61 is performing an operation on the tubes 7 or tubesheet 3.
[0020] The cantilevered tool holder 57, as shown best in Figure 4, has arcuate plates 73 equally spaced on opposite sides of the axis of the drive motor 49. Lugs 75 clamp the arcuate plates 73 and tool holder 57 to the platform 47. Locating pins and bushings (not shown) are provided in the arcuate plate and in the platform so that the cantilevered tool holder can be aligned with the axis of the boom as shown in Figure 1, rotated 180° as shown in Figure 2 or rotated to form an acute angle with respect to the axis of the boom as shown in Figure 4 or any other position desired. The varying positions of the tool holder and short column 13 cooperate to provide access to all of the tubes in one-half of the tubesheet and establish accurate positioning of the tool holder to allow remotely-controlled-repeated operation on any tube in that half of the tubesheet..
[0021] . A C-shaped stiffening bracket 77 is fastened to the column 13 spanning the motor 32 in order to reduce the deflection in the column 13.
[0022] As shown in Figure 5 the upper or terminal end of the column 13 has a taper 79 machined thereon. The mounting bracket 28 has a collar 81 disposed thereon. The collar 81 has a taper 83 counterboard therein so that the tapers 77 and 83 engage to provide a fit which will transmit torque from the column 13 to the boom 27 without relative movement therebetween. A capscrew 85 or some other type of fastener is provided to bring the tapers 77 and 83 into engagement and insure the proper fit to allow the boom 27 to rotate with the column 13 and be removable from the column 13.
[0023] Hydraulic cylinders 69 are disposed on the boom 27 and have a piston rod 71, which when extended contacts the wall 9 to help support and steady the distal end of the boom 27.
[0024] The apparatus hereinbefore described may be easily and quickly installed inside the channel head of a steam generator and with an assortment of tools can perform various operations on all of the tubes in one-half of the tubesheet. The apparatus so structured is rugged and reliable so that it can operate within the close tolerances necessary to retube a steam generator utilizing remote controls. To operate remotely, the angular position of the boom and column must be repeatable. Accurate angular positioning and indicating the angular position of the column and the boom is provided by the motor and positioning package 32 and once the column and boom are positioned in the desired angular position the split collar 19 locks the column 23 in that position.
[0025] The carriage 41 is positioned by rotating the ball screw and the motor has a brake disposed therein to maintain the screw in any desired position. The preloaded nut which rides on the threads of the screw has a plurality of balls which engage the threads. This combination minimizes any backlash allowing very accurate positioning of the carriage. This combination is not subject to be .backdriven by the carriage, therefore with the drive motor brake engaged, the carriage remains in a fixed position.
1. Apparatus for remotely repairing a tubesheet and tubes accessible from a head of
a steam generator, which has a centrally disposed partition dividing the head into
an inlet and an outlet portion and a manway disposed in each of said portions, said
apparatus comprising a column rotatably disposed in a portion of said head generally
perpendicular to said tubesheet, a boom pivotally mounted on said column, means for
rotating said column and said boom therewith, means for locking said column and said
boom in any rotated position, means for pivoting said boom from a position generally
parallel to said tubesheet to a position generally aligned with said manway, a carriage
disposed to ride lengthwise along said boom, means for moving said carriage lengthwise
along said boom and for fixing the position of said carriage on said boom, and a tool
holder mounted on said carriage, characterized in that said column (13) is rotatably
mounted on said partition (11) at least near the upper end of the column and the top
end of said column (13) terminates a predetermined distance below said tubesheet (3),
said beam (27) extending over the top end of said column (13) such that operations
on one-half of the tubesheet (3) and all of the tubes (7) disposed in said half of
the tubesheet (3) can be performed by said apparatus.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said carriage (41) has
a baseplate (45) generally parallel to the tubesheet (3) when the longitudinal axis
of the boom (27) is generally parallel to the tubesheet (3), a platform (47) generally
parallel to the baseplate (45), means for moving said platform (47) and maintaining
the parallelism with said baseplate (45), a drive motor (49) associated therewith,
and a gear train (62) for transmitting power from the drive motor to a tool chuck
(47) on said tool holder (57).
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said means for locking
said column comprises a split collar (19) with a gap at the split and a hydraulic
cylinder (21), which when activated closes the gap and clamps the column (13).
4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the boom (27) has four guide ways (51)
disposed thereon parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boom (27) two above and
two below, and the carriage (41) is cantilevered over the side edges of the boom (27)
and has bearings (43) which slidably engage the guide ways (51).